Rovi landed agreements with Dixons and MediaMarkt to launch DivX Plus-based streaming services, a year after releasing it as software development kit (CED Sept 2/11 p5).
Rovi landed agreements with Dixons and MediaMarkt to launch DivX Plus-based streaming services, a year after releasing it as software development kit (WID Sept 2/11 p7).
The FCC Public Safety Bureau sought comment on proposals for implementing a reconfigured 800 MHz band plan along the U.S.-Mexico border. The bureau said its proposed plan could help address 800 MHz congestion in Southern California. Use of the 800 MHz band along the border had been dictated by a bilateral protocol signed in 1994. But in June, the U.S. and Mexico agreed to an amended protocol, which takes into account the FCC’s 2004 800 MHz rebanding order. The signing of the protocol was a key step so the U.S. could wrap up reconfiguration of the 800 MHz band, a process which has been stalled along the border (CD June 7 p7). Comments are due Oct. 1, replies Oct. 15.
Shippers should begin making alternate arrangements for routing their freight, in light of the potential East/Gulf Coast longshoremen strike or lockout, A.N. Deringer recommended Aug. 30. As a potential strike date draws closer, shippers and importers should consider the following. " With time running out for additional negotiations, Deringer recommends shippers implement contingency plans," it said.
Telephone pole taxes are not cheap or consistent, two New Hampshire telcos argue. FairPoint Communications plans to file pole assessment challenges with “more than 100” municipalities Friday, a spokesman told us. Granite State Communications, meanwhile, is challenging three New Hampshire communities in litigation mailed out Wednesday, Chief Operating Officer Bill Stafford said, saying another small telco is also filing suit. FairPoint said in a statement this week its pole and right-of-way taxes for 2011 and 2012 total more than $11.2 million (http://xrl.us/bnnrjg), and Granite’s taxes went up $150,000 last year due the state’s pole tax, according to Stafford. He said his company’s land and building taxes amounted to just around $80,000 by comparison.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology posts drafts and changes to foreign technical regulations for manufactured products that may be considered technical barriers to trade. Broker Power delays its publication of these postings for 2-3 weeks because there is often a delay until NIST makes the text of the regulations available.
The Office of Management and Budget updated the spectrum parts of Circular A-11, to put more focus on spectrum decisions and the cost of spectrum. The circular provides the rules by which all agencies are expected to abide when they are making procurement decisions. The circular in part nudges federal agencies toward more sharing, consistent with the recent spectrum report by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (http://xrl.us/bnnni2), government officials said this week.
The Federal Aviation Administration will take another look at whether to allow the use of portable electronic devices during flight including during takeoff and landing. The FAA sought comment Monday (http://xrl.us/bnnhmj). “We're looking for information to help air carriers and operators decide if they can allow more widespread use of electronic devices in today’s aircraft,” said Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We also want solid safety data to make sure tomorrow’s aircraft designs are protected from interference.” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said: “With so many different types of devices available, we recognize that this is an issue of consumer interest.” “It’s about time,” said CTIA Vice President Jot Carpenter. “It strikes me as silly that I can read a book at take-off, but if the book has been downloaded to an e-reader or tablet, then I have to wait until we've reached 10,000 feet or some arbitrary cut-off determined by the government or the airlines. Reading is reading and it shouldn’t make a difference whether I bought a book or newspaper at Hudson News or downloaded the same content while waiting to board my flight. And since most hardback books are heavier than an e-reader, please don’t tell me that this is a ’safety issue.'” Carpenter said research shows that electronic devices don’t pose an interference threat to the electronic systems in commercial aircraft. “The bottom line is that this has always struck me as an antiquated rule that no one could explain, especially since there are several airlines that offer tablets for their pilots,” he said. In December, the White House’s “We the People” website gave users an opportunity to sign a petition on allowing airline passengers to use the Amazon Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Android phones and other devices in “airline mode” during takeoffs and landings (http://xrl.us/bmj76n). “Access” to that petition “has expired, because it failed to meet the signature threshold,” according to the petition’s page. Under terms last revised Oct. 3, 2011, petitions must reach 150 signatures within 30 days to “cross the first threshold and be searchable within WhiteHouse.gov,” and 25,000 within 30 days to “cross the second threshold and require a response” from the White House (http://1.usa.gov/Rj5jXA).
The Federal Aviation Administration will take another look at whether to allow the use of portable electronic devices during flight including during takeoff and landing. The FAA sought comment Monday (http://xrl.us/bnnhmj). “We're looking for information to help air carriers and operators decide if they can allow more widespread use of electronic devices in today’s aircraft,” said Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We also want solid safety data to make sure tomorrow’s aircraft designs are protected from interference.” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said: “With so many different types of devices available, we recognize that this is an issue of consumer interest.” “It’s about time,” said CTIA Vice President Jot Carpenter. “It strikes me as silly that I can read a book at take-off, but if the book has been downloaded to an e-reader or tablet, then I have to wait until we've reached 10,000 feet or some arbitrary cut-off determined by the government or the airlines. Reading is reading and it shouldn’t make a difference whether I bought a book or newspaper at Hudson News or downloaded the same content while waiting to board my flight. And since most hardback books are heavier than an e-reader, please don’t tell me that this is a ’safety issue.'” Carpenter said research shows that electronic devices don’t pose an interference threat to the electronic systems in commercial aircraft. “The bottom line is that this has always struck me as an antiquated rule that no one could explain, especially since there are several airlines that offer tablets for their pilots,” he said. In December, the White House’s “We the People” website gave users an opportunity to sign a petition on allowing airline passengers to use the Amazon Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Android phones and other devices in “airline mode” during takeoffs and landings (http://xrl.us/bmj76n). “Access” to that petition “has expired, because it failed to meet the signature threshold,” according to the petition’s page. Under terms last revised Oct. 3, 2011, petitions must reach 150 signatures within 30 days to “cross the first threshold and be searchable within WhiteHouse.gov,” and 25,000 within 30 days to “cross the second threshold and require a response” from the White House (http://1.usa.gov/Rj5jXA).
The Federal Aviation Administration will take another look at whether to allow the use of portable electronic devices during flight including during takeoff and landing. The FAA sought comment Monday (http://xrl.us/bnnhmj). “We're looking for information to help air carriers and operators decide if they can allow more widespread use of electronic devices in today’s aircraft,” said Acting FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We also want solid safety data to make sure tomorrow’s aircraft designs are protected from interference.” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said: “With so many different types of devices available, we recognize that this is an issue of consumer interest.” “It’s about time,” said CTIA Vice President Jot Carpenter. “It strikes me as silly that I can read a book at take-off, but if the book has been downloaded to an e-reader or tablet, then I have to wait until we've reached 10,000 feet or some arbitrary cut-off determined by the government or the airlines. Reading is reading and it shouldn’t make a difference whether I bought a book or newspaper at Hudson News or downloaded the same content while waiting to board my flight. And since most hardback books are heavier than an e-reader, please don’t tell me that this is a ’safety issue.'” Carpenter said research shows that electronic devices don’t pose an interference threat to the electronic systems in commercial aircraft. “The bottom line is that this has always struck me as an antiquated rule that no one could explain, especially since there are several airlines that offer tablets for their pilots,” he said. In December, the White House’s “We the People” website gave users an opportunity to sign a petition on allowing airline passengers to use the Amazon Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Android phones and other devices in “airline mode” during takeoffs and landings (http://xrl.us/bmj76n). “Access” to that petition “has expired, because it failed to meet the signature threshold,” according to the petition’s page. Under terms last revised Oct. 3, 2011, petitions must reach 150 signatures within 30 days to “cross the first threshold and be searchable within WhiteHouse.gov,” and 25,000 within 30 days to “cross the second threshold and require a response” from the White House (http://1.usa.gov/Rj5jXA).